


See Me Now

by SpellCasterLight



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Major Character Injury, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:48:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29331099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpellCasterLight/pseuds/SpellCasterLight
Summary: "What about her eyes?" The Nara asked as he took a hold of Hinata's shoulders when she started violently shaking. "Ino answer me!" [Shikamaru x Hinata]
Relationships: Hyuuga Hinata/Nara Shikamaru
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way shape or form. This story is purely for entertainment not profit.
> 
> Author's Notes: Panicky Shikamaru is in a panic! =O
> 
> This story is, once again, dedicated to the fantastic Casey525 (on ff.net) who gave me the prompt for this story! ^_^
> 
> Pairing Warning: It also goes without saying but if [Shikamaru x Hinata] isn't your thing turn back now.
> 
> Warnings: Bodily Harm. Minor Character Death.

After fighting with Choji on who got to ask her he slowly walked over to the girl who was sitting alone on one of the benches around the play area.

Her head shot up, sensing someone, she blushed openly but gained a small smile.

"Shi-Shikamaru?"

"Hey Hinata."

She looked down at the box in her hands before kicking her feet out in a few small swings and lifting the box up.

"Wo-would you like a cookie?" She offered a small plastic box with several cookies inside.

He licked his lips, already tasting the sugary treat. "Chocolate chip?"

"And tr-triple chip," she added her blush increasing.

He found one of the triple chip ones and hungrily took a bite; it was just as great as he expected.

"You always make the best cookies."

It was a small compliment, if he gave compliments at all that's usually how they were, but her face lit up like he had just given her the moon.

"Tha-thank you!"

* * *

He had ditched class and hidden in the usually abandoned target practice room because of his growing headache; but over the last few minutes inconsistent sounds of a kunai hitting a target followed by an upset sigh was starting to make his receding headache return. He forced himself to sit up and blink to clear his vision. He watched the intruder throw the kunai a few more times before speaking.

"You're not letting your arm straighten enough before you throw."

"Huh-what?" Hinata jumped at the sudden noise actually dropping her kunai.

He forced himself to stand from his hiding place and walk over to her.

"Take your stance again," he told her with a flick of his wrist before rubbing his tired eyes.

She, after a few rapid blinks, stood where she was previously.

He grabbed her throwing wrist and she tensed under the contact.

"Your target is there," he moved her arm to point at her target. "You are letting go of your kunai when your arm is here," he moved her arm to the side by a few inches. "That's why it's always slightly off target. Let go of your arm about," he moved her arm back towards the target slightly. "here."

He stood back a few steps and, after moving her feet slightly and flexing out her hands she threw the kunai again; she was closer to the target this time but still didn't hit the bullseye.

"Better," he commented simply before handing her a kunai from his own pouch. "Try again."

She took the kunai with a small "thank yo-you"; she hit bullseye with his kunai.

"I-I hit it!" She was so pleased he felt his eyebrows come together in amusement. "Tha-Thank you Shi-Shika!"

He merely shrugged his shoulders. "You're welcome Hinata."

* * *

He had to get away from Ino and Choji for a moment; if nothing else simply to run some water over his face in this dumb tower they had to stay in while they waited for the time limit on the second stage of the Chunnin exams to run out.

"This is such a drag," he muttered to himself as he left the bathrooms.

"Shi-Shika."

He looked up and easily changed direction when he saw who had called out to him.

"Hinata," he looked around for a second. "Where are Kiba and Shino?"

"I-I needed to be a-alone for a second," she replied looking bashful.

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Do you want me to leave?" He asked already taking a step away.

Her hands came out to grab his wrist, stopping him from moving; just as quickly she retracted them. "No I-I wanted to say he-hello."

"How long has your team been here?" He asked noticing a lack of fresh dirt on her clothes.

"We-we were the se-second team he-here."

He cocked his head at that, not bothering to hide to his surprise. "That's impressive."

She blushed with her head down and poked her two forefingers together.

"It-it was mostly Shi-Shino who-"

"Stop that. Stop putting yourself down," he reprimanded. "Shino would have come up with the plan but he would have needed your Byakugan to find a team with the opposite scroll and then again to navigate through the forest without encountering any other teams."

Hinata's head shot up, looking astounded. "Ho-how did-?"

"I know?" He finished. He shrugged his shoulders lazily. "It's what I would have done."

"Shi-Shikamaru," he looked at her again; she looked like she was thinking something over as she poked her fingers together. "I'm-I'm glad you made it sa-safe through the forest."

He blinked at that. "You are?"

Her eyes widened as she seemed to realise what she had said. "Umm I-I mean I'm gl-glad your team ma-made it through."

He scratched his left cheek with his opposite hand; almost to hide the conflicted look on his face at her changing her statement.

"I'm glad you're safe too Hinata."

She gave him a serene smile.

* * *

Shikamaru sighed, why did he have to go pick up his dad? Asuma told him to not do anything the day before the final round of the Chunnin exams. It was even the one day he was instructed to go to bed early. He was nearly at the bar that he knew his dad and his friends would be at when he felt a light grip on his wrist.

He turned to see the Hyuga Heiress.

"Hinata."

"Shi-Shika," she smiled at him, a light dusting across her cheeks. "I'm gl-glad I caught you."

His eyebrow rose in interest at that.

"Are you ner-nervous? About to-tomorrow?"

His shoulders slumped. "Maybe; I don't know. Its gonna be a drag whatever happens."

She placed her other hand on his other wrist; before letting out a deep exhale and going on to her tip toes and placing a kiss on his cheek. As quickly as it started it stopped; making his fuzzy brain wonder if he imagined the whole thing.

"Go-good luck tomorrow!"

With that she ran off and he sighed turning back around to continue in the direction of his father.

* * *

Why did Ino and Asuma insist on throwing him a birthday party? He told them he didn't want one, he was fine with turning sixteen with a quiet meal and a game of shogi, but, of course, Ino had ignored what he wanted.

"Hap-happy birthday Shika!"

He turned at Hinata's sudden appearance.

"Thank you Hinata," despite the dull thud in his head he attempted a smile; but from the worried look Hinata gained he must not have succeeded.

"You do-don't seem ha-happy," she frowned.

"I know it's a drag but, honestly?" He took a second to look at all their friends and Senseis in the restaurant before turning back to her. "My head hurts and I want to nap."

She looked around then before grabbing his hand.

His eyebrow rose at the strange movement. "Hinata?"

"Co-come with me-me."

She started pulling him towards the back of the restaurant and he followed but checked over his shoulder to make sure no one saw.

She led him, to her own training grounds he recognised, and into a slightly sheltered cove away from the harsh sun beams but still catching the light. She sat on the grass, not letting go of his hand so she could give it a small tug.

"S-Sleep," she told him simply with a smile as he happily lay down with a thump; already feeling his head clear somewhat at the quiet. "I'll ke-keep a lo-look out."

"Lie with me," he didn't even have the energy to feel sorry at how intimate that sounded when Hinata froze and blushed crimson. "You can count it as my birthday present."

She lay down, with far more grace than he had done, and turned on her side to continue to watch over him. The last conscious thought he had was that her usually pure white eyes took on a mauve tint when the light hit them in just a certain way.

He fell asleep holding the Hyuga's hand and it was such a nice feeling; the best birthday gift he received all day.


	2. Chapter 2

"Your mission is simple; find the bandits that are attacking merchants on the Tanzaka City Outpost and destroy them," Kakashi didn't sound like he was kidding around this time.

"That's so close to here," Ino breathed amazed.

"Which is why this needs dealt with immediately," Kakashi continued. "If people don't feel safe only a few miles outside Konohagakure then how are we supposed to say we can protect the whole of the Land of Fire?"

"Understood," Shikamaru nodded to the Hokage before turning to his team, Choji, Ino and Hinata all awaiting instructions. "No need for an overnight bag, we can leave now."

Getting to Tanzaka City took less than ten minutes; finding the bandits located just outside the city took only another five.

"I-I see them!" Hinata told them, Byakugan activated. "Twelve of them str-straight ahead!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ino yelled, grinning slightly.

They caught them off guard, which always worked in their favour. They managed to get separated across the grassy plain were the bandit's hideout was in their fight, but they were still all in eyesight, making steady process with target after target dropping.

He used his shadow to fling one of the bandits that had managed to corner Ino against a tree when he saw a flash of purple in his peripheral.

His arm was cut not a second later, and it suddenly burned like it had been set alight. It fell to his side like dead weight and he could feel his chakra go crazy in it, like it was trying to push through his skin to get out of him.

"What?"

He actually fell to his knees to hold the useless appendage to his side and take in a few unsteady breaths.

"What the-?"

"Thought you Leaf ninja were better than that?" One of the bandits asked sarcastically coming to be in front of him before raising a glowing kunai, the source of the purple he saw.

Hinata was suddenly in front of him blocking the blow to his head with a physical line of chakra from her hand that slammed the kunai away and cut open the target's hand at the same time. The bandit yelled out in anger.

"You stupid-!"

He slashed at her with a second glowing purple kunai and the Nara heard Hinata give a cry as the blade slashed right at her face.

Shikamaru instinctively, but shakily because of his arm, pulled a stitching jutsu and aimed it right through the bandit's chest; making three rather large holes and blood started to immediately pour out of them once his shadows removed themselves. While he held the jutsu he did the same to the remaining two enemies he could see.

"Hinata!" Shikamaru was at her side and saw her holding both hands to cover her face. "Hinata talk to me!"

"Hur-hurts," she cried, half whimpering at the pain as she collapsed onto her knees and when he pulled her hands away from her face and he saw the blood plastered over her face and eyes his own blood ran cold.

"Ino!" He screamed and the blonde was suddenly running to them from across the field. "Ino heal her now!"

"What hap-Hinata!" The Yamanaka screamed before dropping down and covering Hinata's face with her green healing hands.

The world seemed to stop moving when Ino pulled a terrified look a few seconds later.

"It's not working!"

"What do you mean it's not working?!" Shikamaru demanded through gritted teeth.

"I mean it's not working!" Ino screamed back and Hinata let out a wailing sound. "Some-something is draining her chakra and stopping me healing her! I-I can't explain it!"

"What about her eyes?" The Nara asked as he took a hold of Hinata's shoulders when she started violently shaking. "Ino answer me!"

Ino's hands started to shake themselves even as they still held their green glow. "If her chakra network is damaged beyond repair-"

"Her eyes would die too..."

Shikamaru wanted to hurl but he swallowed it down and pulled the suddenly still girl into his arms before standing.

"Shika what?" Ino asked looking startled at his sudden movement.

He tightened his grip on the Hyuga girl and bolted.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hinata? Hinata you awake?" Shikamaru spoke to the girl in his arms when she hadn't made a sound in the few seconds it took him to take to the trees and start home in a fast but steady pace.

"Ye-yes."

Shikamaru winced at her pained tone and looked down to check on her.

Her face, bangs and white top were covered in blood, almost half her face was coated in the crimson liquid. He could see her arms and hands still shaking slightly and he hoped beyond hope that that was from cold and not blood loss, because that would make this situation even worse. Her eyes were currently closed and he could see her flinch when she opened them.

"Okay good stay with me okay? I'm going to get you to Tsunade and she's going to fix you. But I need you to keep talking okay? Stay awake for me."

He had to give her a shake when she didn't reply, and he saw her eyes slide shut.

"Hinata!"

The white eyed girl seemed to jolt awake before slumping.

"I'm he-here."

He could see Ino and Choji come up beside him, both of them able to catch up quickly since they weren't carrying anyone, looking just as worried as he felt.

"Why did you do that?" He asked her as he gritted his teeth and shifted his grip to hold her closer. "Why did you jump in front of me like that?"

"You were go-gonna get hu-hurt," she replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. She moved her head to lean closer to his neck than his shoulder. "Didn't want you hu-hurt."

"Hinata?" He asked again after she went quiet again. "Hinata!"

"I'm-I'm" she took a deep breath. "-I'm awake Shika."

"Hinata stay with me," he heard himself practically begging the heiress. "I need you to talk okay?"

"What; what talk about?" He caught her missing out words in her sentence; who knew what that jutsu was doing to her.

"What are we gonna talk about? Oh I-I don't know."

He couldn't even think of anything; he was in such a panic. His legs and feet seemed to be trying to get him back to Konohagakure on muscle memory alone. He caught the Akimichi's panic filled look beside him and a memory from long ago came to him.

"Cookies."

Hinata seemed to twitch in his arms. "Co-Cookies?"

"Do you still make them? Me and Choji always loved it when you made them in the Academy; didn't we Choji?"

He threw Choji a blunt 'dammit work with me!' look when the food pill user didn't reply and gave him nothing but a confused look.

"Uhh yea we did," he replied before Choji and Ino gave each other a worried look.

"I'm gl-glad," Hinata breathed before closing her eyes.

Shikamaru felt terrible as he shook her to make her open her eyes but she couldn't go to sleep; he couldn't risk her passing out.

The Byakugan user opened her eyes again but the light through the trees seemed to be agitating them because her hands came up to shield them as she made a small whimper noise.

"Do your eyes hurt?" He asked, his breath half hitching.

"A li-little; kind of nu-numb."

"No no Hinata don't go to sleep."

He shook her again when her eyes once again closed; he felt her whole body twitch this time.

"Not sleeping," she argued weakly.

"Tell me about the Byakugan," he word vomited the new topic; he had to keep her talking, to keep her awake and conscious. "What's it look like?"

"Black and whi-white. But chakra is blue," she scrunched up her eyes and he felt a harsh intake of breath against his neck. "Miss co-colour. Like co-colour."

He didn't know if her half sentences were because she couldn't think or because she was in pain or some other reason but at least she was awake.

"The Byakugan is far cooler than my jutsu that's for sure; don't you think?"

"Like your sh-shadow," she seemed to try to smile at that. "You make it da-dance."

Hinata gave a pained cry and Shikamaru growled; she was getting worse. He snapped his head down and to the left to look at his blonde teammate.

"Ino; I need you to run on ahead and get help to meet us at the gate! Get Tsunade!"

"On it!"

With a burst of speed, the Yamanaka was out of sight and far ahead of them and Choji took her position of running directly beside him.

"I'm sending Ino on ahead," he told the girl in his arms. "She's going to get you help."

"Al-always admired you," she said without prompting, maybe she was losing it.

"I've always had a soft spot for you too," he admitted and at the corner of his eye he saw his best friend shoot him another look. "You were always the only girl in class who wasn't a drag."

He felt her give a rather drained giggle at that. "Li-Like your phr-phrase."

"Oh yeah?" He found himself giving a slightly hysterical gasp laugh at that. "You must be the only one."

He scrambled for another topic as he shifted her in his hold again, trying to keep her steady.

"Mirai would never forgive me if anything happened to you; remember Mirai?"

Hinata shifted in his hold, a small smile appearing on her face. "Love Mirai."

"Yeah I know you do," he felt himself smile back at hers. "You're amazing with her, do you know that?"

"So-so are you," she replied as she seemed to try to reach out to him but gave up halfway and just let her hand fall back into her lap.

"We make a good team don't we?"

When she didn't reply he looked down to find her trying to sleep again.

"Shikamaru we're nearly there," he heard Choji say to him. That didn't comfort him as much as he guessed his friend thought it would; the Hyuga princess was getting worse. They needed to be there _now_.

"Hinata? Wake up; don't sleep Hinata _please_."

"Ti-Tired Shika," she protested; her face pulling a childish annoyed expression, keeping her eyes closed.

She was fading too fast.

"Remember;" he gulped. "Remember when you protected Naruto from Pain? And you told him you loved him? And he still asked Sakura out? How did that make you feel?"

It was a low blow, bringing up Naruto picking Sakura over Hinata but he hoped it would spark an emotion in her powerful enough to jolt her back to total consciousness. The topic seemed to shock her somewhat because she did open her eyes at least.

"Why-why are you-?"

"How did that make you feel?" He pushed on. "Did it make you angry?"

"An-Angry?" She stopped talking again and he was about to shake her again when she spoke. "Not an-angry; upset."

"And-and are you still upset?" He tightened his grip as he made a particularly wide jump from one branch to another. "Do you hate Sakura? You can tell me."

Choji gave him a look from his side silently asking him if he was crazy.

"Hate; Sa-Sakura?" Hinata seemed to scrunch up her eyes in confusion but then released a wounded pained sound at the motion making Shikamaru grit his teeth. She took a few deep breaths before she continued. "Never; never hate Sakura. They're happy," he felt her move her head more into his chest. "I'm ha-happy for them."

"You're too good a person Hinata," he told her honestly as he ducked his head to avoid a low hanging branch in his way. "I was so mad at him for hurting you."

She twitched in his arms again. "You we-were?"

"Course I was. You're amazing Hinata; men should be falling over themselves to be with you."

He looked down for a moment to take in her features and saw she had a dazed weak smile.

"So you're single then?" Choji nearly lost his footing at that one.

"You; you're n-not si-single. Wish I-"

She didn't finish whatever she was about to say but she did move her hand to fist itself in his jacket; he could feel her fingers shake.

"Who told you that?" Shikamaru asked jumping down to a lower branch range. "I'm single; who told you I wasn't?"

"I-Ino."

"Ino's a drag," he replied glad the blonde wasn't around to smack him for the comment. "How-how could I ask you out if I wasn't?"

He actually heard Choji make a dumbfounded noise at that.

"Wha-what?" Hinata's voice was so quiet now he barely heard her.

"What kind of date girl are you?" The words were practically tumbling out of his mouth now. "Do you like restaurants or sunsets or-?"

"Like-like picnics."

"That's perfect," he could see the gates to the village now and his heart sped up in relief; almost there. "What do you say? Wanna go on a picnic with me Hinata?"

He felt Hinata's head roll off his shoulder then and he used the last of his strength for a sudden burst of speed.

Shikamaru silently thanked Ino a hundred times over when he saw her with Tsunade, Shizune and a medical team waiting for them at the gate.

He landed beside the stretcher they had on the ground and laid Hinata on it. The movement seemed to bounce Hinata to life again.

"Shi-Shika-"

"They'll get you all patched up," he told her as he started untangling her hand from his jacket.

"Come-" her hand only tightened its hold. "Come wi-with-"

"I'll see you later; I promise Hinata."

When the medical ninjas and Hinata were out of sight a moment later he fell to the ground in a lump.

"Shikamaru!" Ino called out.

"You okay?" Choji asked kneeling down beside him.

"I-I can't believe I said all that stuff," he let his forehead lean on the ground; well aware people were staring. "I'm such a drag; what is she gonna say?"

"She was pretty out of it," Choji replied not sounding entirely convinced. "Maybe she won't remember?"

"What did you say?" Ino demanded probably thinking he had insulted the Hyuga girl in her absence.

His best friend looked up to the Yamanaka when he didn't reply.

"Shikamaru asked Hinata on a date."

Ino's jaw dropped. "He did what?!"

"A picnic; I asked her on a picnic. I mean; yeah I wanted too; but then? Why did I do it _then_? I'm such a drag. I'm such a massive _massive_ drag."

He hit his forehead off the gravel then.

"You-you were panicking," Ino said shrugging but looking a little embarrassed for him. "Choji's right maybe she won't even remember!"

Shikamaru let out a pained cry when Ino smacked him upside the head.

"Then you can ask her out properly! Not when's she half- conscious so you can weasel your way out of it!"


	4. Chapter 4

They arrived at the hospital and Shikamaru couldn't stop himself from pacing in front of the room Hinata and her doctors were in.

Tsunade and Shizune came out looking confident only minutes later and Shikamaru nearly launched himself at the hospital head.

"Please tell me she's alright."

Tsunade stopped to cross her arms and look annoyed at the Nara. "Any later; and-"

"Just tell me already!" Shikamaru actually yelled at the medical ninja and everyone in the hall stared at him in shock.

"Sorry," Shikamaru angrily sighed before rubbing his hands over his face; he kept his head down. "Sorry Tsunade."

"As I was _saying_ ," the blonde huffed at him. "Any later; and the jutsu would have simply worn off completely on its own."

The shadow wielder blinked at that, snapping his head up. "What?"

Tsunade actually grinned at him.

"You must have been really freaking out huh? If you had been paying the slightest bit of attention you would have noticed the jutsu was weakening pretty steadily. All we had to do was a little healing to her eyelids and nose. She's completely fine apart from being exhausted from the chakra drain."

"But; there was so much blood!" Ino all but yelled.

"Head wounds bleed and bleed a lot; you should know that Ino," Tsunade shrugged like it was nothing.

"So; she's fine? Her eyes are fine?" Choji input this time as Shikamaru hid his humiliated face in his hands. "There's no damage to her Byakugan?"

"Completely fine," Shizune confirmed with a smile. "A few days no chakra use and she'll be right as rain."

Shikamaru couldn't believe he had been that stupid; he didn't even stop to think. That _one_ thing he was known for. Seeing Hinata get that slash across the face and Ino making it sound like she would lose her sight entirely had sent him into a tailspin he couldn't control. Hell; he had been slashed with the same jutsu and his arm hadn't bother him the whole way home!

"Can I see her?"

"She still needs her rest-hey wait!"

Hinata didn't even have bandages over her eyes, but the lights were dimmed in the room to not agitate them further; she was even sitting up in the bed. Her head snapped round from looking out the window at his slam of the door opening.

"Shi-Shikamaru!" She exclaimed before smiling.

He strode to her bed and pulled her into a kiss that made her, and everyone else that followed him into the room, gasp in surprise.

He pulled back a second later to blink wide eyed at his second slapdash action of the day. Her face was bright red and her own eyes showed her own bewilderment.

"Hinata I-I didn't mean-I was just so glad you're-"

The kiss she gave him in return was far gentler but pulled his stomach in far more knots.

"May-maybe when I'm well; we could go on th-that picnic. I'll even ma-make you those co-cookies you li-like."

He felt himself chuckle lightly in relief as he sat on the edge of her bed and wrapped her up in a hug; he felt her snuggle her face into his neck. Spending the afternoon with Hinata eating homemade cookies; who would say no to that?


End file.
